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What is SPARK?

SPARK SUPPORTING PARTNERSHIPS TO ASSURE READY KIDS™ is a family-focused intervention program that prepares children for kindergarten. Although the initial investment in SPARK was made by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation in partnership with the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Canton, multiple funders now support SPARK sites in six Ohio counties.

SPARK helps children get ready for school by building reading, language, and social skills, and seeks to create a seamless transition into school for children ages 3-6. Since 2003, the program has helped more than 2,200 families prepare their preschool-age children for kindergarten while working collaboratively with schools to enhance transition practices.

SPARK parent partners deliver monthly home- and group-based services to families of preschool-aged children. The structured lesson plans and activities SPARK offers are aligned with the Ohio Department of Education’s Early Learning Content Standards. In partnership with mental health agencies and school districts, SPARK ensures that barriers to school readiness are removed. Children with developmental, social-emotional, or mental health issues are linked to community resources to address issues before they prevent school readiness. For six consecutive years, SPARK children have been found to be more prepared for kindergarten, and they retain that advantage through the third grade.

At the state level, SPARK has collaborated with the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators and the Ohio Department of Education to establish the Ohio Ready Schools Initiative. Through training, mentoring, and professional development opportunities, the Initiative helps participating schools cultivate connections between the school and the community in an effort to ensure that families experience smooth transitions into kindergarten.  

More information about SPARK is available here.

SPARK Program Goals

• Ensure that all of Ohio's children enter school socially, emotionally, cognitively, and          physically ready;
• Provide families with the help they need to support and ensure their children's success in school;
• Help schools support the learning and development of all children and work with families to ease transitions into school; and
• Involve communities in this effort, at every level.

SPARK Guiding Principles

The SPARK leadership team developed the following guiding principles for
the SPARK initiative:

• We are committed to children as our primary focus.

• We are committed to providing children the opportunity to realize their full potential.

• We are committed to quality services and equitable treatment of all children.

• We are committed to the importance of families and their right to self-determination.

• We are committed to the recognition and support of the strengths and needs of families.

• We are committed to respect for and sensitivity to diversity and cultural and racial    

    differences.

• We are committed to collaboration with a primary focus on the best interests of children

    and their families.

• We are committed to respect for and support of all who are entrusted with the care of

    children.

• We are committed to self-reflection, evaluation, and continuous growth.

• We are committed to advocating for the well-being of children.